The fleet sailed downstream, arriving at a dock on the south bank of the Kupa River by midday.

The sailors docked the ships and assisted the tribesmen stationed at the dock in unloading baskets of iron ore from the ships onto the carriages outside. By the time these tasks were completed, it was already dusk, and everyone rested and ate at the dock.

The next day, the sailors navigated the fleet back to the ore dock, while Karsipengpas led the caravan south along the dirt road specifically built for transporting iron ore. It took two full days to reach the north bank of the Murenica River.

Here was another riverbank dock constructed for the iron ore transport, where people once again labored to move baskets of ore onto the cargo ships.

After a full night of rest, everyone boarded the ships refreshed in the morning and set off.

With the fleet sailing downstream, it didn't take long to pass by the village where the Budocaribas tribe once lived.

Since the tribesmen moved to the Sava River, this land returned to the southern tribe of the Aldean. Not only were the wooden walls and floating bridges dismantled, but the large stretch of flat land between the two swamps was also cultivated into wheat fields. There was no trace of the temporary camps the Nix people built, and tribesmen could be seen at the riverbank guarding their wheat fields with joy, anticipating the autumn harvest. It was hard to imagine that five years ago this land had been ravaged by war, and the hearts of the tribesmen were filled with despair about the future... The arrival of the Nix people changed everything!

As Karsipengpas was contemplating, Diocles by his side pointed ahead and exclaimed, "When was a wooden bridge built here?!"

A short distance away, at the fordable section of the Kolana River, stood a wooden bridge. It wasn't a floating bridge; its arch, more than three meters high, easily accommodated their fleet.

"You haven't returned to the tribe in years, have you? Now you can't be a pirate anymore; you should visit and see the territory of our Aldean tribes," Karsipengpas replied, "This wooden bridge was built the year before last by the Nix people, mainly to facilitate travel between us Aldeans and the Nix tribe."

"I remember it used to be easy to wade across; wasn't it unnecessary to go through so much trouble to build a wooden bridge?" Diocles said with some disdain.

"People can wade across easily, but it's not as simple for carriages. Did you see that—" Karsipengpas pointed to the western end of the bridge. Over there, a donkey-pulled carriage was preparing to cross the wooden bridge, followed by several pedestrians carrying bundles or items...

"With this wooden bridge, it's more convenient for the tribesmen to cross. Who would want to wade anymore?" Karsipengpas said wistfully.

Diocles gazed up at the wooden bridge towering above them, where the sunlight reflected off the river, creating countless shimmering patterns on its underside, making it quite a sight.

He turned to look at the east bank; although it was still morning, there were already quite a few pedestrians on the riverside road.

"They're probably heading to the Nix market to trade, aren't they?" Diocles asked curiously. "It looks like there are quite a few people."

"This is only in the morning; once the sun is up, more tribesmen head to Snowdonia. The goods sold at the Nix market are just too attractive!" Karsipengpas continued, reflecting on how he spent most of his years at the iron mine and often dealt with the Nix, leaving him with deep impressions.

"From what you said before, the Nix people only settled here a few years ago. What good things can they make?" Agatakus, who had been silently observing, asked. Since he decided to join the Nix, he naturally wanted to learn more about this emerging tribe.

"Never underestimate the Nix people. Although they established the tribe only a few years ago, many of their tribesmen are skilled craftsmen from coastal towns. It is said that Leader Maximus frequently receives enlightenment from the divine, allowing him to innovate and create new useful items from time to time..."

Karsipengpas seriously explained, "At first, the pottery they made was very much admired by the leaders and nobles of our Aldean tribes. Their crafted daily iron implements were more durable, cheaper, and our ordinary tribe members preferred to buy them. Eventually, the furniture, farm tools, and even wooden sculptures they created became items that tribesmen enjoyed purchasing.

Moreover, the cloth they wove was plentiful, of good quality, and affordable, leading many of our tribesmen to buy their fabric instead of weaving their own..."

"Is the leader of the Nix tribe really favored by a divine being? Which deity is it?" a pirate chief interjected, his face full of skepticism.

"Since you're preparing to join the Nix tribe, I must warn you!" Karsipengpas said seriously, "Leader Maximus indeed achieved many things others couldn't. The Nix tribe rapidly developed and grew stronger in a few short years. All the Nix tribe members firmly believe he is favored by the divine and even consider him a reincarnation of a divine descendent! Once you're in the Nix Territory, watch what you say, or you'll anger the Nix people, which could be troublesome for you!"

The pirate chiefs glanced at each other, and Agatakus asked somewhat displeasedly, "Will the Nix people force us to worship their god?"

"Besides taking an oath at their Danu Temple when you join the Nix tribe, they won't force you to worship their deity regularly, considering that many of their tribesmen come from other races—"

As Karsipengpas spoke, the image of the Danu Goddess appeared in his mind. He had visited the Danu Temple many times, deeply feeling the goddess's compassion and mercy in the sacred and solemn temple of nature.

He hesitated, then added with emphasis, "The Nix people mainly worship the Danu Goddess, who indeed watches over the Nix tribe. Once you've been there long enough, you should be able to feel it."

"Danu Goddess?" The pirate chiefs were either Illyrians or Epirus people, completely unfamiliar with the Celtic creation goddess. Thanks to Karsipengpas's warning, they dared not say much more, but knowing that the Nix wouldn't force them to worship their god reassured them significantly.

Agatakus pondered Karsipengpas's previous words and, wanting to learn more about the Nix, asked, "Brother Karsipengpas, you mentioned many goods the Nix make that appeal to your Aldean tribe members. What do you Aldeans exchange for them? Gold and silver coins?"

"Except for trading with Romans and Greeks along the coast, where we must use gold and silver coins, among us mountain folks, most trade is by bartering goods."

Karsipengpas explained with a hint of helplessness, "Initially, tribesmen could exchange grain, livestock, and poultry for what they needed. But after the Nix no longer needed those items, our tribesmen began growing flax, cutting timber, and even getting hired by the Nix during the farming off-season, assisting them in farming and working to obtain what they needed."

The pirate chiefs exchanged surprised glances, realizing that although the Nix and Aldean were allies and the Nix was supposedly supported by the Aldean, indications showed that the Nix were actually leading!

As they talked, the fleet entered the Kupa River and passed through the Validosi Swamp, where the riverbank suddenly appeared entirely different. It was fortified with a sturdy dyke made of stone bricks and cement, over two meters high, forming an inverted trapezoid that extended eastward, firmly confining the river within its bed...

The pirates in the fleet, well-versed and having seen many riverbanks in Italy and Greece, were amazed at encountering a tribe capable of constructing a dyke in the backward mountainous areas to reduce floods for the first time.

What surprised them even more was the sight of a towering, slowly rotating water wheel on the riverbank.

As everyone began to marvel, a boat approached from ahead.

This boat differed from those they had seen on the river before, with wooden boards erected on both sides of its center, creating small windows in between, topped with a long wooden plank... It resembled two boat boards sandwiching a wooden box.

"This boat looks so strange; I wonder what it's used for?" a pirate chief asked curiously.

"It could be used for river combat," Karsipengpas replied.

"A boat like this for combat?!" Agatakus said, as if hearing a joke, "It seems quite clumsy, probably not very agile, and not fast enough, easily susceptible to enemy ship ramming and capsizing; also, with that small cabin in the middle, it can't fit many sailors, leaving it at a disadvantage in close-quarter battles..."

Although Agatakus operated on the sea for years, sea and river battles shared similarities, primarily involving ramming and boarding.

Karsipengpas shook his head, saying, "The Nix tribe has a new weapon called the crossbow, said to have been inspired by the Danu Goddess through Leader Maximus and crafted by craftsmen. The crossbow is like a bow and arrow but shoots further, more accurately, more powerfully, and is easier to master.

Nix sailors can use crossbows, hiding in the cabin and shooting crossbow arrows through those windows, able to shoot down any enemy approaching the boat without worrying about thrown javelins; even if an enemy ship manages to get close, fighting and boarding would not be easy tasks either."

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